IIT-Kharagpur alumnus develops robot to sanitise train coaches, hospitals

BHAGALPUR: A ‘remote navigated ultraviolet robot (RNUR)’ developed by Bhagalpur- based IIT-Kharagpur alumnus Ajit Kumar to sanitise train coaches and other establishments amid Covid-19 pandemic has found many takers.

The RNUR is equipped with detection camera for sanitisation of train coaches, hospitals, nursing homes, shopping malls, multiplexes and other large establishments.

The prototype of RNUR, christened ‘Corona Yodha UV Sanitiser Robot’, had been supplied to South East Central Railway (SECR), Raipur, for trial and testing in May. Ajit said he has received a letter from senior coaching depot officer of SECR, Ram Narayan Sahu, expressing keen interest in using RNUR to fight Covid-19 virus.

“So far, SECR, some shopping malls and other establishments as well as NTPC’s Kahalgaon Super Thermal Power Station (KhSTPS) have evinced interest in RNUR,” Ajit said.

“The production cost of RNUR is Rs 25,000. It can sanitise every nook and corner of train coaches and any establishment. State education minister Krishna Nandan Prasad Verma has also expressed desire for establishing competency learning platform using the technologies developed by me and my team in schools after the RNUR was shown to him recently,” Ajit said.

He added, “Covid-19 pandemic came as a challenge to us and we developed UV sanitiser robot to meet the challenges of sanitisation in large establishments and rail coaches.”

Resident of Kahalgaon sub-division in Bhagalpur district, Ajit is a mechanical engineer and he left his plum job in Mumbai to establish a startup firm at Lalpur-Bhader village in the same subdivision.

“Objective to launch the startup at my native place was to serve the society to which I belong and use the skills in development of ultraviolet robots for various works. Besides, I am also trying to contribute in growth of the youth here by imparting them education and training in science, technology, engineering and mathematics in order to make them employable at various levels,” Ajit said.

Other IIT-Kharagpur alumni Sagar Kumar and Alka Ranjan are also working with Ajit to bring changes in the lives of locals.